Interchangeable-unit car.



H. W. KIRCHNER.

INTERCHANGEABLE UNIT CAR.-

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1915.

1,252,810. Patented Jan. 8,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. W. KIRCHNER.

INTERCHANGEABLE UNIT CAR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2|, 1915.

(1,252,810. Patented Jan. 8,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIIIIIIIIIIII/f 4 v t 6 firm/0r fl 1g 14/ Mame/j H I HENRY W. KIRCHN ER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGN OR TO RIVER AND RAIL TRANS- PORTATION COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF OKLAHOMA.

INTERCHANGEABLE-UNIT CAR.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918. Application filed April 21, 1915. Serial No. 22,822.

1 252 8; Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. KIRGHNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Interchangeable-Unit Cars, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to railway cars, and specifically to certain inprovements in interchangeable unit cars. This type of car,

various forms of which are illustrated in my U. S. Letters Patent Nos. 885,162, 922,293, 997,300 and 1,026,752, is characterized by the employment of an underframe of special construction'suitably carried on the-trucks, and adapted for the reception of specially formed containers or units, in which the cargo is carried. These units are individually movable and interchangeable on the underframe and among different similar cars.

The principal object of my present invention is to provlde a car of the sort described having increased efiiciency for the handling of way freight, which, of course, is normally in smaller lots than through freight, which increased efficiency I secure by rendering the various units more accessible for handling, and by providing an improved form of attaching means for securing the units to the car, which form of attaching means is capable of more rapid and positive operation.

Other and further objects of my invention will be obvious or pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a car of my improvedconstruction;

Fig. 2 a top view of the same with some of the units removed;

Fig. 3 a top view of the means for securing the units to the underframe;

Fig. 4 an elevational view of the same partly in section;

Fig. 5 a perspective illustrating the manipulating and locking means for the securing mechanism;

Fig. 6 a perspective illustrating one of the units;

Fig. 7 a detail illustrating a form of looking mechanism for the unit door.

It will be understood by reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 that the numeral 1 indicates longitudinal underframe members, which, of course, are connected by transverse members in the form of transoms and bolsters, so as to provide a stable frame portion. The underframe is carried upon trucks in the usual fashion, and is suitably equipped with the customary draft gear. Secured to the underframe members are longitudinal angle members 2 and transverse angle members 4, which members are disposed so that their horizontal flanges form supporting bases, and their vertical flanges provide lateral retaining ledges or abutments for the interchangeable units 5. These units 5 are in the form of boxes or containers having a substantial frame 5*, engageable members 5 and keepers 5. Access to the containers may be had through hinged doors 5 suitably secured by a proper locking mechanism 5. These containers have their base portions formed. to fit in the retaining seats on the underframe formed by the angles 2 and 1, and in order to secure interchangeability, the base portions of all of the containers are similar in contour and dimension.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, the retaining seats formed by angles 2 and 4, are spaced apart transversely of the car, leaving a longitudinal passage-way there- -between, which passageway is provided with a suitable running board 6 supported on the transverse members of the underframe, and designed to provide a runway between the laterally disposed containers.

I provide an improved form of mechanism designed to retain the containers securely on the underframe, the same being illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. This retaining-mechanism includes a series of bearings 7 suitably secured to the transverse angles 4: or other fixed part of the underframe, which bearings provide mountings for revoluble 100 gaged for manipulation by a suitable implement. When a .unit 5 is disposed in its seat on the underframe, the keepers 5 project within the orbit of the loops9, so that when said loops are swung to the proper angleby rotation of the shaft, the keepers will be engaged by the loops in suchfashion that the unit will be retained against vertical or horizontal movement relative to the underframe. As illustrated, the keepers 5 are disposed adjacent the corners of the units, sothat the latter are securely retained on the underframe at both their inner and outer sides. Manipulation of a shaft 8 releases both the inner and outer sides of the unit, thus rendering it unnecessary for the operator to climb-onto the car to release the unit.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a means for locking the shafts 8 against rotation when the loops 9 are in engagement with the keepers 5. It will be seen that theprojecting ends of the shafts 8 have fixed thereto dogs 10 which revolve with the shaft. Mounted on a portion of the car framing is a stop member 11 which may be swung into and out of the path traversed by the dog 10 .when the shaft is rotated to swing the loops 9 into and out of engagement with the keepers 5.

When the loops 9 are in engagement with the keepers 5,v and stop-11 is disposed in the path of the dog 10, said stop forms an abutment for the dog 10 and prevents the rotation of shaft 8 to remove the loops 9 from engagement with the keepers 5. In

this fashion, the retaining means may be securely locked so as to prevent the disenagement of the units by unintentional inuence- When a unit has been disengaged from the retaining means, it may be hoisted off of the car by a suitable crane or hoist adapt ed to engage the members 5".

I am aware that the structure is capable of various adaptations and modifications without departing from the scope of the in-.

vention. v

What I claim is: I

1. A car of the class describedincluding longitudinal and transverse underframe members, longitudinal series of seats supported on said underframe members and spaced apart transversely of the car, independently removable containers supported on said seats, and manipulative mechanism for securing said containers on, the seats.

2. A car of the class described including an underframe, longitudinal series of seats mounted thereon and spaced apart transversely thereof, a running board disposed between said series of seats, independently removable containers supported on said seats, and manipulative means for securing derframe, and securing means disposed ad- 1 jacent said seats and adaptedto secure containers therein; said seats bein spaced apart transversely of the under rame to provide a passageway. 1

4. A car of theclass described including an underframe, members disposed thereon to form seats, removable containers supported upon said seats and retained against longitudinal movement thereby, securing means disposed adjacent said seats and adapted to secure containers therein against vertical movement; said securing means being operable from one side of the car to secure or release a container.

5. In a car of the class described, an und'erframe, members thereon forming a fixed seat for a removable container, retaining means adjacent said seat for engaginga container adjacent both sides-thereof to secure it in said seat, said retaining means being operable from one side of said underframe to en age or release such container.

being operable from one side of the underframe.

8. In a car of the class described, a removable container provided with keepers disposed adjacent its opposite sides, and a securing mechanism including loops movable to, engage said keepers, means for swinging said loops into and out of en agement with said keepers, and means fordocking said loops against movement; said secuging mechanism being aflixed to the-car.

n a car of the class described, an underframe, a seat for a removable container provided 'thereon, a container removably disposed on said seat, a keeper fixed to said container, a shaft revolubly supported on the underframe adjacent said seat, and a rigid loop movable by rotation of said shaft into and out of engagement with the keeper, for the purpose described.

10. In a car of the class described, the

combination of an underframe, a seat provided thereon, a container removably supported on said seat, sald' container being provided with keepers spaced apart from signature inthe presence of two witnesses; each other, a shaft revolubly supported adthis 18th day of March, 1915.

jacent said seat loops fixed for rotation by i said shaft, said loops being disposed for en- HENRY W7 KIRCHNER' 5 gagement with said keepers whereby to re- Witnesses:

tain the container upon the seat. M. P. SMITH,

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my M. A. HANDEL. 

